LGBT POV

Equality California had a fruitful year – getting 14 bills and resolutions passed through the state legislature. Seven bills now sit on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk but the Religious Right is pressuring the governor to veto at least two of them.

One of those bills, SB 543 – introduced by openly gay state Sen. Mark Leno and sponsored by EQCA – would allow young people 12 to 17 years old to access counseling without parental consent. While the Religious Right’s ongoing public relations efforts claim that parents and churches know what’s best for children – a  2006 survey of at-risk youth in Massachusetts says that LGBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers – often because of school bullying, religious stigma, or family rejection.

The bill is now on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk and the Religious Right is pressuring him to veto it. “To deny these youth mental health services because they are too afraid to ask their parents for permission is unconscionable,” says EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors.

Kors adds:

“Anti-LGBT organizations are also working to defeat a bill that puts into California code that clergy, acting on behalf of their religion, shall not be required to marry couples if such marriage is inconsistent with their faith. Although our opponents want clergy protected, they are opposing this bill as it will take away their ability to falsely claim that clergy will be required to marry same-sex couples as they did during the Proposition 8 campaign.  We are urging everyone to contact the Governor and urge him to sign these and all seven EQCA sponsored bills.”

There is an action alert set up at www.eqca.org for people to contact the Governor.

The conservative Pacific Justice Institute filed a petition with the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento on Monday to try to force the state – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown – to defend Prop 8 on appeal in federal court, the AP reports.

The state, as government-defendants in the Perry v Schwarzenegger case, has until Sept. 11 to file an appeal of Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling striking down Prop 8 as unconstitutional last Aug. 4. Both Schwarzenegger and Brown said they will not appeal. Protect Marriage, the defendant-interveners, appealed but there is a question about whether they have standing as private citizens in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The 9th Circuit will hear arguments on that issue during the week of Dec. 6.

In a blog on their website, PJI posits failure to uphold Prop 8 as a “constitutional crisis:”

“California is teetering on the precipice of a constitutional crisis. Former bodybuilder, turned Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with former Governor, turned Attorney General, Jerry Brown, are putting their shoulders down to push California’s voters over the cliff. With them, the state’s republican form of government will fall.”

Lambda Legal’s Legal Director Jon Davidson makes an excellent point about “judicial activism:”

“This latest, desperate move by antigay forces recognizes that, without an appeal by Gov. Schwarzenegger or Attorney General Jerry Brown, the Perry case may be over and Prop. 8 a relic of the past.  It’s ironic that groups that regularly attack the judiciary are now asking judges to second guess the highest members of the state’s executive branch who correctly have decided that Prop. 8 so clearly violates the U.S. Constitution that it cannot in good faith be defended.  Those officials swore to uphold the federal Constitution which, under our federal system of government, overrides state law.”

Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors issued this statement in response to the PJI action:

“This is an outrageous attempt to try and force elected officials who have sworn to uphold the United States Constitution to defend a law that the Federal Court has found to be unconstitutional. It demonstrates their acknowledgement that the proponents of Proposition 8 lack standing to appeal, that the case should be dismissed and loving same-sex couples should be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to marry.”

Right Wing Watch reminds us how PJI President Brad Dacus at a Protect Marriage/Yes on 8 rally on Oct. 28, 2008 said “failure to pass Prop 8 in California would be akin to failing to stop Hitler.”

Courage Campaign Founder and Chairman Rick Jacobs said this:

“With California laying off teachers, police and firefighters amidst an unprecedented budget crisis, it is the height of hypocrisy for so called ‘conservatives’ to demand that California taxpayers foot the bill to defend a discriminatory law that has already been declared unconstitutional in federal court. This frivolous action shows just how out of touch and desperate those who seek to limit the freedoms of loving American families have become.”

Two days before the 47th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Rev. Eric Lee, President of King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Los Angeles, posted an essay on the Huffington Post blasting the LGBT community for “unconscious racism.”

“There is a travesty of justice occurring within lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations that is holding all of us back in our movement for justice and equality.

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I believe that the cause of justice and equality also suffers when the unconscious racism of the white male-dominated LGBT community goes unchecked.”

My jaw dropped. I’ve known Rev. Eric Lee (pictured here at a post-Prop 8 rally) for two years – since he took his courageous stand in favor of marriage equality and against Prop 8. I know him to be a man deeply committed to justice and equality and very comfortable around gay people. So I was stunned that he delivered this painful broadside against the entire LGBT community – especially knowing how beloved and respected he is by that community – without explaining the specifics of what prompted the deeply troubling charge of racism – unconscious or not – or offering any solutions.

This is the first of a three-part series responding to Rev. Eric Lee’s charges. In the segment I look at racism within the LGBT community.

I’ve been a little surprise at the burst of attention over the “news” that Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman and attorney general candidate Steve Cooley would defend Prop 8 in the federal trial, if elected and given the opportunity.

Maybe it’s just a California thing – but LGBTs here have been discussing this since before the primaries.  In fact, it was a key point during the April 25 Equality California Political Action Committee Forum with all the Democratic candidates for attorney general.  

In this post, I look at who’s saying what about defending Prop 8 and get some guidance from Lambda Legal’s Jon Davidson. Here’s an example of some of Davidson’s insight: “If they get elected, Whitman and/or Cooley might also seek to file an amicus brief after their election or after they are sworn in, which would be after the oral argument.  They would need to seek permission to file late.  There is no way of knowing whether the Ninth Circuit judges hearing the case would grant such a request to file late.” (emphasis mine)

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Late Thursday afternoon, Bill May, Chair of Catholics for the Common Good, sent out a breathless alert urging his followers to immediately contact their Assemblymember to STOP Senate Bill 906, authored by openly gay state Sen. Mark Leno (pictured).

“[S]o far it has failed to get the 41 votes needed to pass. They are holding the vote open for the rest of the day to twist more arms for its passage. We don’t know who has voted or not. To be safe, please contact your Assembly member right away and ask him or her to vote “NO”.

The bill is very deceptive. It appears to be harmless and well intentioned, but it is really a Trojan horse sponsored by the opponents of Prop 8. It is another slap at the 7 million voters who passed it. The outcome of this bill is important as we are confident the current legal defense of Prop 8 will be eventually successful.”

How deceptive and harmless is it? Please click inside to see – plus an update from Bill May.

California Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, the nation’s highest ranking openly gay state official, was honored by Equality California at their annual gala at the Ritz-Carlton hotel downtown on Saturday. EQCA executive director Geoff Kors said the lobbying group changed venues from the Century Plaza Hotel because that hotel is part of the Hyatt chain under boycott by the Unite Here! union. The gay conservative group GOProud recently crossed the picket line by holding a reception at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.

Perez comes out of both the labor and Latino political movements and powerfully explained to the EQCA audience why the LGBT community needs to build coalitions with the two groups. Perez is also a prodigious fundraiser and like former state legislator Sheila James Kuehl and current state Senator Mark Leno, he judiciously contributes funds to political candidates who he deems will be good on LGBT and progressive issues.

Here’s an excerpt from his EQCA speech:

“We have to recognize that effectively fighting for our rights is not simply a matter of holding press conferences or sponsoring legislation, or even precinct walking and phone banking; although those are important. It’s a matter of connecting to people on an emotional, personal and visceral level. This is something the Labor Community understands clearly.

One worker cannot stand up to the Corporation alone.  But every worker, standing together, presents a united front that cannot be ignored. Building on that, by recruiting allies, that Union’s strength and value is only magnified.

That’s a lesson Harvey Milk learned early on. How fundamentally different would our world be if labor leaders in San Francisco never made the decision to approach Harvey Milk about the Coors boycott.
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We still see the results of that early partnership today.  In a majority of states in this country, most of us in the room could be fired for simply being gay, lesbian or bisexual. And in almost every state, a transgender person could be fired for being transgender. There is nothing in the laws of those states protecting LGBT people.

But in every one of those states a union contract guarantees that protection. Wherever you find a union contract, you find a de facto ENDA.  That is a living, breathing example of the need for us to rededicate ourselves to those early lessons of coalition building.”

If that whet your political whistle – please click inside for the transcript of the entire speech. Video to come.

California Assemblymember Mike Feuer, whose district includes West Hollywood, authored a resolution calling upon the IRS to grant tax equality for same sex couples that passed the state Legislature Monday with bi-partisan support. Recently out Republican Sen. Roy Ashburn presented and spoke in favor of the resolution on the Senate Floor. Additionally, Republican Assemblymember Chuck DeVore, the Tea Party candidate in the GOP Senate primary (won by Carly Fiorina), repeatedly spoke in favor and then voted for Assembly Joint Resolution 29 as an expression of states’ rights to establish their own tax policies, according to Feuer’s legislative aide, Arianna Z. Smith.

The resolution, which is not legally binding, does not require the signature of the governor. Copies of the resolution are now sent to President Obama, Vice-President Biden, the Treasury Secretary, the IRS and members of the California Congressional delegation for them to understand that it is the will of the California Legislature that same sex married couple should receive the same recognition as domestic partnerships when it comes to filing tax returns and community property.

Feuer, pictured here at this year’s LGBT Pride parade, said in a press release:

“I commend the IRS for affirming that domestic partners have the same community property rights as heterosexual spouses.  Now it needs to ensure that same-sex married couples can enjoy the same protections from unfairly high taxes.  I urge the IRS to respect California law and honor the rights of all of California’s same sex couples.”

Feuer  is a joint author with Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) of Assembly Joint Resolution 19, which calls upon President Obama and the California Congressional Delegation to repeal DOMA.

Please click inside to read the press release from Assemblymember Mike Feuer’s office.

There was a flood of reaction to U.S. District Court Judge Joseph L. Tauro’s two rulings Thursday that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. One ruling stems from GLAD’s lawsuit Gill v. Office of Personnel Management filed in March 2009 regarding claims of harm brought by seven married same-sex couples and three widowers from Massachusetts, some of whom are seen here after the victory. Under the ruling, the plaintiffs are entitled to the same federal spousal benefits and protections as every other married couple in the state. The second ruling results from Attorney General Martha Coakley’s lawsuit, Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Department of Health and Human Services.

“Today the Court simply affirmed that our country won’t tolerate second-class marriages,” says Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights Project Director, who argued the Gil case. “I’m pleased that Judge Tauro recognized that married same-sex couples and surviving spouses have been seriously harmed by DOMA and that the plaintiffs deserve the same opportunities to care and provide for each other and for their children that other families enjoy. This ruling will make a real difference for countless families in Massachusetts.”

In a conference call with reporters and bloggers, Coakley called the decision a “landmark” ruling and a “very important step to achieve equality.” Plaintiff Nancy Gill, a federal worker, said she was “just absolutely thrilled. I’m so happy, I don’t even put it into words.”

Please click inside to read a compilation of opinions and a slew of reactions. And here’s University of Pennsylvania Law Professor Tobias Wolff’s analysis of what’s next:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

LGBT Californians and Religious Right activists are anxiously awaiting District Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling on the constitutionality of Prop 8 – which is expected any day.  The decision will be immediately appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal by whichever side loses, with the idea of reaching the U.S. Supreme Court within the next few years.

But neither advocates nor opponents of marriage equality for same sex couples are sitting idly by, watching the clock. There is a quiet but massive effort by both sides to build cultural support for their position before the case reaches the high court. The latest effort was just launched by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Please click inside for the last on the Catholic Church’s “defense of marriage” campaign and why their latest video could end up being a spoof.

While the nation focused on the victories of Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina, two corporate Republican women who spent millions to win their gubernatorial and Senate primary campaigns, respectively, LGBTs were focused on statewide and local races that boosted the fight for equality in California.

As of midnight, with more than half of the precincts reporting, Victoria Kolakowski, a transgender administrative law judge and attorney for over 20 years is leading in her race for Alameda County Superior Court Judge with 46.11% of the vote, compared to her nearest competitor with 31.52% of the vote. While she will likely have to face a run-off, her lead is significant and her win would be historic.

In Southern California, openly gay Ricardo Lara, a founding member of HONOR PAC, appears to have won his race in the 50^th Assembly District in the East LA area. He becomes the second openly gay Latino in the state Legislature in California history.

And in what openly gay Assembly Speaker John A. Perez described as a “huge win,” pro-gay Democrat Matt Gatto beat National Organization for Marriage favorite Sunder Ramani who “used H8 card with the Armenian community,” which backfired. Perez called the special election for Assembly District 43 a “bell-weather” for November since it was the only race where a Democrat went head-to-head with a Republican. As of midnight, Gatto was up almost 56% to Ramani’s 44%.

Perez also noted that Gatto won in a primary election where there was high Republican turnout. “It’s a very strong indication of what people want this year. They want elected officials who are committed to making the state work by investing in education and jobs and not turning their back on the needy, especially in this time of such a big economic crisis.”

Please click inside for more on the California primaries, with comments from Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, Equality California’s Geoff Kors, and Log Cabin Republican’s Scott Schmidt. UPDATED WITH NEW RESULTS.

Equality California has posted Voter Guides for both Northern and Southern California, which may be useful as LGBT voters try to navigate the spectrum of LGBT and pro-LGBT candidates. For Los Angeles area Democrats, the Stonewall Democratic Club has also posted their list of endorsements, including Betsy Butler, longtime EQCA board member who fought hard against Prop. 8 (pictured here with her friend West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem John Duran), candidate for the 53rd Assembly District, as well as Mike Gatto, Assembly candidate for the 43rd District, and openly gay Richardo Lara, candidate in the 50th Assembly District. Also – please pay attention to their picks on judges – an overlooked category that is critically important. As San Diego blogger Mike Tidmus reports, the radical religious right is angling to take over the courts in San Diego.

There are several critical statewide offices with good pro-LGBT candidates from which to choose. The race for the office of Attorney General, for instance, is crowded with Ted Lieu, Rocky Delgadillo and Kamala Harris, the three top contenders right now. Equality California’s Political Action Committee recently hosted debates with candidates for Lt. Governor (Gavin Newsom and Janice Hahn), Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney General and Insurance Commissioner (Assemblymembers Dave Jones, endorsed by the Democratic Party and some AIDS activists, and Hector de la Torre, endorsed by EQCA and Stonewall) which you can watch online to make up your own mind.

UPDATE: Please note: the Log Cabin Republicans have posted their endorsements on this Facebook page.

Here’s video of the critical Attorney General’s race:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was warmly received at Friday night’s Harvey Milk Day celebration kick-off event in San Francisco sponsored by Equality California. In this EQCA video, she promises that DADT will be gone by Christmas.

I am very moved by Dustin Lance Black, who I’ve only met a couple of times. But consider that the young screenwriter, who won an Academy Award for “Milk” – could very well just sit back and enjoy a “Hollywood lifestyle.” Instead, Black has written the book for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles’ Harvey Milk Day Schools Project on Harvey Milk Day and he is working with Equality California on grassroots visibility efforts. Oh, yeah – and he’s on the board of the American Foundation for Equal Rights – the group that’s funding the Ted Olson/David Boies federal challenge to Prop 8. There are many people who’ve been touched by the legacy of Harvey Milk – but perhaps none have taken it so personally as Dustin Lance Black. For which we might all thank him.

Had he lived, the late San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk – one of the first openly gay elected officials in America – would have been 80 years old on Saturday, May 22. But he was assassinated Nov. 27, 1978, along with Mayor George Moscone, and became a martyr whose life and accomplishments are being marked in California by the first-ever Harvey Mild Day. LGBT POV has posted a number of stories and videos to commemorate Milk, starting with a video in which Milk talks about defeating the antigay Briggs Initiative.

According to Cleve Jones, who considered Milk his mentor, and the Bay Area Reporter – which revisited some of the columns Milk wrote for the gay paper – Milk stressed visibility, building coalitions, and getting out the vote. And if the plethora of events listed here commemorating Milk’s life are any indication, he has left an important legacy – including one felt by the first openly gay Speaker of the California Assembly John A. Perez, who is being honored by the Harvey Milk Foundation at Madame Tussauds Museum in Hollywood and by West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem John Duran (pictured rehearsing on a soap box), who is starring as Milk in the Dustin Lance Black-written story/concert by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles at Fairfax High School.

Here’s a quick list of events. Please click inside for details and information about each event:

10:00am – 3:00pm – Equality California has a HUGE roster of events – including Marriage Equality Canvass in EAST LA.

10:00am – 3:00 – LA Gay & Lesbian Center’s Vote for Equality Harvey Milk Day Canvass in the Valley!


10:30 am — 12:30 pm — The ACLU is also hosting a “coffee and discussion” featuring Mark Thompson and Mia Frances Yamamoto.

12:00p.m – The City of West Hollywood and Equality California will also host a celebration at West Hollywood Park.

3:00 – 4:00pm – Equality California fundraiser hosted by Sharon and Kelly Osbourne at the Osbourne family estate in Hidden Hills.

3:00-6:00pm – Equality Across America has organized a march and rally starting at Father Serra Park.

7:00 – Harvey Milk Foundation – “Red Carpet Celebration of Harvey Milk with Laughter and Music in Hollywood” on the Rooftop of World Famous Madame Tussauds Museum.

7:00 – Gay Men’s Chorus: The Harvey Milk Schools Project! – a concert performed at Fairfax High School Auditorium.

Midnight – Toast for Equality at bars and restaurants around LA.

Lessons from Harvey

By Geoff Kors

Executive Director, Equality California

As we have been gearing up to celebrate the first official day of recognition for an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person in our nation’s history — Harvey Milk Day on May 22 — I decided to reread The Mayor of Castro Street. If you haven’t read it, you should. As I read, I reflected on the legacy of Harvey Milk. And I realized how much his life and vision guide our work as a movement.

Harvey Milk taught us that in order to achieve our goal of equality, we must be out and visible in all aspects of our lives, unwavering and principled in the values we hold and about more than just ourselves.

Being out and visible is something each and every one of us, LGBT and ally alike, must do every day of our lives. It isn’t always easy to talk about who we are with those that oppose our equality. We understandably fear more rejection for simply being who we are. But if we are going to achieve our dream of full equality and acceptance we all must be out — and be vocal about it.

Please click inside to read the rest of Geoff’s post about Harvey Milk. Additionally, Equality California is hosting a slew of events on Harvey Milk Day – including a kick-off event Friday night at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center featuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

We’re all so busy trying to figure out how to get federal equality bills passed – such as the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) – some of us forget about the everyday need for equality, safety and the right to be happy of our transgender sisters and brothers. But unity and camaraderie will be especially important in the next few weeks as the Religious Right and their right wing lapdogs in Congress try to kill ENDA over transgender protections. Expect some nasty language utilized in a crafty legislative fashion to peel off support from wobbly Democrats.

Transgender activists, in conjunction with Equality California and the Transgender Law Center held the first ever Transgender Lobby Day in Sacramento on Monday. They met with lawmakers to educate them on the need for good jobs and healthcare in the transgender community. (See news story below)

And in Los Angeles, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center is holding the free 11^th annual Trans-Unity Pride from June 3-6 at the Village in Hollywood. Trans-Unity Pride is also on Facebook.

Please click inside for more info and links.

Grasp this: on Saturday, for the first time in American history, an openly gay man will be officially recognized for his accomplishments by the state of California. May 22 marks the birthday of the late LGBT martyr Harvey Milk, who will be honored with an official State Day of Recognition – Harvey Milk Day.

Openly gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk was assassinated on Nov. 27, 1978, along with his ally, Mayor George Moscone. Last September, when his when his Equality California-sponsored Harvey Milk Day bill passed the Assembly, openly gay Sen. Mark Leno said:

“[Harvey Milk] is an inspiration to people worldwide who believe in fairness and equality and he fought for many of the issues we value today, including access to education, public transportation, affordable housing and protecting the environment.”

EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors says, “I am truly thrilled that after several years of hard work we have succeeded in making Harvey Milk’s Birthday an official State Day of Recognition.”

Today begins a weeklong series of posts about Harvey Milk, including a calendar of events happening on Harvey Milk Day on Saturday so LGBTs and allies can more easily find a commemoration to attend. But who better to kick off the series than Harvey Milk himself, here speaking about the antigay Briggs Initiative that he helped defeat:

And here is a promo for the excellent documentary Times of Harvey Milk by Rob Epstein – which can be seen in its entirety on Hulu and purchased on Amazon:

The L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center just added its voice to the growing chorus calling for a boycott of the state of Arizona over passage of their bigoted immigration law. Labor and LGBT activist Gloria Nieto called for a boycott on April 23, right after Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law requiring law enforcement to ask anyone they “suspect” of being an undocumented immigrant for papers proving their citizenship – though there is no official description of what an undocumented immigrant looks like. Gloria also noted that Brewer also “killed” the state’s domestic partnership law.

Transgender activist Bamby Salcedo shared about the horrors of detention camps. LGBT people joined a sizable May Day rally in downtown Los Angeles where photographer Mark Hefflinger caught signs equating the Arizona law to the Nazis. On May 1, Equality California also issued a statement about the “appalling” law and said EQCA “stands firmly with all of our immigrant brothers and sisters” and called for “humane, comprehensive immigration reform.”

The cities of West Hollywood, Santa Ana and Los Angeles have called for a ban on most travel to Arizona and suspension of many contracts. Attorneys Dan Torres and Tobias Wolff also called the new law “hateful” – though GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell supports the law in accordance with his beliefs in federalism.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center says the law is hateful and will not travel to the state, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief of Staff Darrel Cummings said in a press release:

“Our community easily recognizes legalized bigotry and discrimination because we have been fighting it so long and so often,” says Cummings. “We know too well the horrific consequences that result from such policies. Elected officials in Arizona can rationalize and justify these laws any way they choose, but underneath it all lies anti-Latino and, specifically, anti-Mexican and Mexican-American prejudice. The LGBT community is part of these communities and so we stand with all those who oppose legal attempts to marginalize, stigmatize, or persecute any community, anywhere.”

As of today, the Center will prohibit staff travel to Arizona for conferences or other professional activities and will take the necessary steps to end all relationships with businesses headquartered in Arizona.

Please click inside to read the entire press release.

The California Assembly officially endorsed a resolution calling for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (SJR-9) in a 51-17 vote that included bipartisan support. The Equality California-sponsored resolution (SJR-9) was introduced into the State Senate last year by openly gay San Diego Sen. Christine Kehoe (pictured here with “Milk” producer Bruce Cohen and the late Harvey Milk’s nephew Stuart Milk at a “Harvey Milk Day” kick-off event Wednesday night. Photo by Matt Smith). The resolution calls on Congress to pass and President Barack Obama to immediately sign the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009, which would repeal DADT to allow gays to serve openly in the armed forces and mandate non-discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In a statement delivered on the Assembly floor, Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) said:

“I believe that any American who has these core values – honor, courage, and commitment, and who is willing to give their life for their country should be allowed to serve openly and honorably.”

Sen. Kehoe said in an EQCA press release:

“A soldier must display courage, patriotism, commitment and ability — none of which have anything to do with sexual orientation. Overturning this shameful policy will help ensure that gay and lesbian Americans will be afforded the same opportunities as any other American who wants to serve our country.”

However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the Washington Blade Thursday that the path to repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is “uncertain.” Here’s an excerpt:

“As you probably are well aware, I have never supported ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and look forward to a time soon when it will no longer be the policy,” she said in response to a Blade inquiry. ”How we get from here to there –we’ll make those determinations as we go forward.”

Please click inside for more.

The resolution now heads to the Senate for a concurrence vote, probably on Monday. After that, the State of California will officially be on the record endorsing the repeal of DADT.

Here is former Marine Nathan Fletcher, who represents the 75th Assembly District in San Diego County:

UPDATED:Remember all that brouhaha when CNN anchor Krya Phillips featured an “ex-gay” named Richard Cohen on her show? She later apologized , saying he was not an “appropriate guest. But the point of the show was to “debate’ California Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal’s AB 2199, which cleans up language in a state code that instructs the state to research a “cure” for homosexuality.

Well, that bill unanimously passed the Assembly Monday – with bipartisan support – and is now headed to the state Senate.

According to Equality California, which sponsored the bill and asked Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) to carry it, AB2199 would repeal the offensive section of the California Welfare and Institutions code, which instructs the State Department of Mental Health to conduct research into the “causes and cures of homosexuality.”

EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors says:

“Sexual orientation is not a matter of choice any more than one’s height, and neither can be changed. We are thrilled with the passage of this vital bill, as all Californians regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserve to be treated equally and with dignity and respect.”

Lowenthal points out that the code, which implies that being LGBT is harmful and should be “cured” – contradicts substantial research that says otherwise. 

“It’s discriminatory, it’s insulting and it has to go,” Lowenthal said. “Sixty years is more than long enough.”

Go here for more information about Equality California legislation.

UPDATE: Equality California sent out an advisory saying the Traditional Values Coalition is working hard to defeat the bill in the Senate.

EQCA’s Geoff Kors writes:

The Traditional Values Coalition has made defeating this bill a priority — they want the state to support their dangerous position that sexual orientation can be changed. The Traditional Values Coalition has added this bill to their “Target List” of bills to be defeated saying:

“AB 2199 would forever strike from the Welfare and Institutions code the requirement that the State Department of Mental Health conduct research on the ’causes and cures of homosexuality.’ Right now, this is required in the law. But homosexual advocates do not want the state to study ways to help people leave the homosexual lifestyle. They want the world to think that people are ’born gay.’”

Sign our petition to the Governor urging him to support repealing this offensive law! And please forward this email to everyone you know asking them to contact the Governor today!

We must remove this blatantly false, offensive and dangerous language from California Law and educate Californians that sexual orientation is not a choice. People no more choose to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender than they do to be straight. And when people learn the truth, they move to support equality.